Childhood exposure to intimate partner violence against women and its association with violence against children in refugee settlements in Uganda.

Background: The association between witnessing intimate partner violence against women (IPVAW) and experiencing violence against children (VAC) has received limited attention in humanitarian settings. We examined the prevalence of witnessing IPVAW in childhood and its association with experiencing caregiver-perpetrated physical and emotional VAC and sexual VAC by any perpetrator in Uganda refugee settlements.

Methods: Data were from the first-ever Ugandan Humanitarian Violence against Children and Youth Survey (HVACS), conducted from March to April 2022, involving 1,338 females and 927 males aged 13-24 years. Indicators of VAC included ever experiencing sexual (by any perpetrator), physical, or emotional (by a caregiver) violence among 13-17-year-olds and experiencing such violence prior to age 18 among 18-24-year-olds. The analysis entailed cross-tabulation with a chi-square (χ²) test and a multivariate logistic regression model.

Results: The prevalence of witnessing IPVAW in childhood was significantly higher among males (31.2%) compared to females (16.5%). Witnessing IPVAW in childhood was associated with increased odds of experiencing physical VAC by a caregiver for both females (AOR = 2.53; 95% CI = 1.41-4.52) and males (AOR = 3.37; 95% CI = 1.72-6.59). It also significantly increased the odds of experiencing sexual VAC for females (AOR = 3.62; 95% CI = 1.65-7.92) and males (AOR = 5.52; 95% CI = 3.42-8.91). Additionally, witnessing IPVAW increased the odds of experiencing emotional VAC by a caregiver for both females (AOR = 2.61; 95% CI = 1.36-5.03) and males (AOR = 2.78; 95% CI = 1.53-5.07), compared to their peers who did not witness IPVAW.

Conclusion: Witnessing IPVAW in childhood is common in refugee settlements in Uganda and is strongly associated with experiencing VAC perpetrated by a caregiver. Violence prevention and response programs should pay attention to IPVAW as a risk factor for VAC, emphasizing integrated approaches that target both forms of violence within households.